Toggle cam release mechanism

摘要

A release mechanism that decreases the effort necessary to release a tensile load is provided. The mechanism includes a connecting body that secures a member connected to a load between a fixed jaw and an opposing jaw, two floating links connected to a moveable jaw and to a moveable toggle pivot, and a moveable toggle that includes a central lever and two toggle links mounted on the moveable toggle pivot. A cam lobe is formed on the lever and rotation of the cam lobe against a flat rise included in the connecting body decreases the effort necessary to unlock the mechanism and release the load. The central lever is interspersed between the toggle links and can move between spacer/stops attached to each of the toggle links. The spacer/stops keep the lever from exceeding the prescribed range of motion.

主权项

1. A toggle cam release mechanism, comprising:
a connecting body comprising a central plate comprising a flat rise, the connecting body further comprising two side plates securely attached to opposite sides of the central plate, a fixed jaw, and an opposing jaw pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot attached to the side plates to pivot between a released position and a locked position, wherein the fixed jaw and the opposing jaw abut and define a catchment recess when the fixed jaw is in the opposing jaw locked position; two floating links pivotably mounted on a movable pivot attached to the opposing jaw, the floating links moveable between a floating link locked position and a floating link released position by a moveable toggle pivot attached to the floating links; and a moveable toggle comprising:
two toggle links interposed between the floating links and attached to the movable toggle pivot, each toggle link pivotably mounted on a fixed toggle pivot attached to the connecting body to pivot between a toggle link released position and a toggle link locked position, wherein an axis of the opposing jaw movable pivot and an axis of the fixed toggle pivot are connectable by a line;a central lever attached to the moveable toggle pivot at an end interposed between the toggle links and moveable between a lever locked position and a lever released position by one or more forces applied to at least one of the end and a different end of the lever;a cam lobe formed on the end of the lever, a surface adjacent to the cam lobe abutting the flat rise when the lever is in the lever locked position, the cam lobe being rotatable against the flat rise to urge an axis of the moveable toggle pivot across the line to a releasing side of the line when the lever moves towards the lever released position;one or more release spacers positioned at each of the toggle links to block the lever from moving relative to the toggle links when the axis of the moveable toggle is on the releasing side of the line and the lever moves towards the lever released position, the release spacers urging the two toggle links to pivot into the toggle link released position upon receiving pressure from the lever, which urges the floating links to move into the floating link released position, which urges the opposing jaw to pivot on the opposing jaw fixed pivot into the opposing jaw released position; andone or more locking spacers positioned at each of the toggle links to block the lever from moving relative to the toggle links when the axis of the moveable toggle is on a locking side of the line and the lever moves towards the lever locked position, the locking spacers urging the two toggle links to pivot into the toggle link locked position upon receiving pressure from the lever, which urges the floating links to move into the floating link locked position, which urges the opposing jaw to pivot on the opposing jaw fixed pivot into the opposing jaw locked position.